


Choices

by EmbracexThexRainbow (EmbraceTheRainbow)



Series: Malec Prompts [1]
Category: Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare, Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Abandonment, Angst, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Future Fic, Hearing Voices, Homelessness, M/M, Time Travel, Visions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-15
Updated: 2016-10-15
Packaged: 2018-08-22 15:08:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8290279
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmbraceTheRainbow/pseuds/EmbracexThexRainbow
Summary: From the prompt, "Time Travel", by IzBoa. Magnus Bane has been contemplating his relationship with Alec Lightwood and whether or not it should continue. Just as he's about to make a decision that could alter his life in ways that he is oblivious to, an old friend makes an appearance.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [IzBoa](https://archiveofourown.org/users/IzBoa/gifts).



Magnus was staring at the wall in despair, as if it had wronged him somehow. He had spent the past four hours eating rocky road ice cream, watching old Project Runway reruns, and contemplating his entire relationship with Alexander Lightwood.

The warlock and the shadowhunter had been dating for almost three months now. It was safe to say that Magnus was relentlessly in love with Alec; so much so that it terrified him. He had never been so in love with someone before. Not even Camille came close to matching it. Even with all of this in mind, Magnus was starting to think that they should break up.

Alec was wonderful. He was everything Magnus could have asked for and some. He was shy and sweet and caring and protective and just so honest. Honestly was very difficult to come by these days. But while all of that was what made Alec Lightwood so amazing, there were also some things that made Alec Lightwood not so amazing. Even if the positive outweighed the negative, the negative was way too significant to just ignore. 

For example, his job was a huge barrier in their relationship. When Alec wasn't working his mother was always trying to send him out on multiple errands; pretty much do anything in her power to keep him away from Magnus. They barely had any time to speak to one another, much less see each other. A quick text or two every few hours was all Alec was able to spare him. Of course it wasn't the poor boy's fault, he was just such a pushover. He'd do anything he could to make his parents pleased with him, especially now that he was out of the closet. Sometimes though, he just needs to learn to say no to some of Maryse's ridiculous demands.

The next and largest issue was Jace fucking Lightwood or Wayland or whatever the hell his last name was at the moment. Alec was still working his ass off trying to hunt down his parabatai. While that was completely understandable, what bothered Magnus was the way he was going about it. Throwing himself into immediate danger even if it was the tiniest lead in the world, dismissing his safety and his life as if it were the least of his worries. He was turning into Jace. 

That wasn't even the worst part.

Alec had this...look on his face when he was informed of a lead. His big blue eyes would light up in a way Magnus had yet to achieve and his face would lift to the skies. It was like nothing else mattered except finding Jace, not even Magnus. The warlock could easily see that Alec was still helplessly in love with the blonde shadowhunter.

So...maybe it would be best if they went their separate ways. Yes, Alec may care for him, but ultimately he doesn't love him like he loves Jace. And that's just not something Magnus's old heart can take. Perhaps he should just let him go before things get farther than they already are. The longer he puts off the inevitable, the more it will it hurt. 

Just as he was about to pick up his phone and invite the nephilim over to end it all, a rush of dizziness hit him full force. He struggled to regain his breath, clutching at his chest. Suddenly, a voice sounded in his head. Ragnor's voice.

"Still an idiot, I see."

"What?!" Magnus cried out, his eyes glancing around frantically for the source of the voice. 

"I'm going to show you something, sparkles. Close your eyes."

Magnus had jumped out of his seat on the couch and was too busy panicking over the fact that he just might be schizophrenic to process any of those words. So when the room went black and he collapsed to the floor, he thought he was dying.

-@-

When Magnus finally came to his senses, he was lying against a couch in a junky apartment. He didn't recognize the place at all or have any recollection of arriving there. Maybe he'd gotten drunk?

He then heard a baby crying.

It was wailing uncontrollably and when he turned his head to look for the source of the sound, he saw a crib pushed up against a wall next to the entryway to a small, messy kitchen. There was a young mundane woman standing next to it. She had long brunette hair that rested in curled ringlets over her shoulders and pale blue eyes. She had a small bundle in her arms, and she was holding it as far from her as she possibly could. She stared down at it in complete and utter fear and misery.

Magnus let his curiosity get the best of him and raised himself up from the floor. Surprisingly, he wasn't dizzy and seemed to be fully coherent. The warlock stepped over to the crib and stared down at the woman. She didn't even glance his way.

"Um, miss?" 

No answer. Not even a blink of acknowledgment. It was almost as if she couldn't even see him. He looked down at the baby and suddenly her behavior made sense.

It was a warlock baby. No older than a couple of weeks old.

The baby had blue skin slightly darker than Catarina's. It had curly navy hair on top of its tiny head and its cobalt blue eyes were flung open and filled with tears, some sliding down it's reddened cheeks. The poor thing looked malnourished and in an immense amount of pain and agony. 

The woman had a cell phone rested between her ear and her cheek. A female voice could be heard on the other end of the line but Magnus couldn't quite make out what it was saying over the heartbreaking screams of the infant.

"I know mom, I know! I just can't keep him any longer! Most of the time I'm too terrified to even go near him, much less give him the care he needs! I'm an awful mother. He deserves a family that can love him," the woman holding the child sobs into the speaker.

Magnus sighs. This is something that happens to almost every warlock child in the downworld. It's certainly not a new sight for him. 

"I wish I could mother, I really do. But I just can't raise a demon's child. I just can't. I met a woman the other day that said she was something called a shadowhunter. She said I should just drop him off at her old academy because another warlock is visiting there right now and he might be able to find a good home for Ethan," she sighed.

The woman on the other line began to speak again. A few minutes passed once more until the woman in front of him spoke again.

"I'm going now. I'll call you when I get back."

The baby stared up at his mother as he continued to cry, oblivious to the fact that she was about to give him away like a coupon.

Suddenly everything started to get blurry again. The last thing Magnus saw before he passed out was the woman placing the infant in his car seat and walking towards the front door.

-@-

Magnus opened his eyes to see he was in a different place again. This time he was in a bedroom with a king size bed, a dresser, a flat screen, a microwave on a small white stand, and a couch with a coffee table in front of it. Sitting on the couch, Magnus saw none other than Alexander Gideon Lightwood. He looked fairly the same, except only a couple of years older. In his arms was the same blue warlock infant Magnus had seen earlier. Alec stared down at it in admiration, a soft smile on his face. It melted Magnus's heart. 

Suddenly, his own magnificent self entered the room, his arms full of diapers, wipes, formula and bottles. He dropped all of it tiredly onto the bed and then went to stand beside where Alec was seated.

"There. Max should have everything he needs for now," The other Magnus breathed out in exhaustion.

'Max? Why does the baby have the same name as Alec's little brother?' 

"Good. I can't wait to take him home," Alec sighed happily.

Magnus's eyebrows shot to his hairline. Why is he seeing all of this? Why does Alec look older? Why is he holding a warlock baby and why is he talking about taking him home? Where even is he? So many questions and so little answers. Maybe he's dreaming?

"You're not dreaming, Bane."

Magnus jerks in surprise when he hears Ragnor's voice echo through his head again. What is going on?!

"Magnus, you may be old and wise, but that doesn't make you any less dense."

"Hey!" Magnus objects, still not quite sure what he is even objecting to.

"I'm showing you your future. Well...one of your possible futures."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Magnus frowned.

"You'll understand. All in good time, old friend."

Again, he felt dizzy and began to sway. His legs were growing heavier and heavier by the second and the last thing he saw before everything went black again was Alec cooing endearingly at the small child and himself standing over him, looking like everything he would ever need was right there in front of him.

-@-

When Magnus woke again, he was in an alleyway. The sky was dark and the stars shown brightly up ahead, the moon in the shape of a crescent. He blinked slowly and glanced around, taking in his surroundings. He was slouched up against a dumpster, the smell of rot and filth filling his nostrils. He was between two pale cemented buildings. The alley was surprisingly pretty clean, despite it's putrid smell. His ears picked up on some rustling a few yards away.

He turned and saw a little boy sprawled out across a few rugged blankets, sleeping soundly.

The boy was Hispanic, a mundane or a shadowhunter most likely. He looked too alive to be a vampire and didn't have any noticeable marks to identify him as a warlock or a faerie. Judging by his size and face, he couldn't be any older than six. He was wearing a pair of dirty shorts and a tank top so ripped you could see his ribs sticking out noticeably from his chest. The poor boy looked so weak.

Magnus began to hear a low hissing sound coming from above. The child seemed to hear it too judging from his sleepy moan and his fluttering eyes. His eyelids slowly opened to reveal a pair of, unsurprisingly, chocolate brown eyes. They were dull and lifeless, void of hope and will. Just as the boy was beginning to rise up and stretch out his muscles, a shrill shriek echoed throughout the alleyway and a large Elapid demon dropped down from the rooftop and landed right in front of the Hispanic boy.

The boy shrieked, scrambling away in terror but to no avail. Magnus acted on instinct rather than intellect and sent a ball of blue flames at the demon. And it went straight through it. Not even a second after the fact Magnus remembered that this is all a vision, whether the vision is real or not is the question. Either way, Magnus could do nothing to save the child. The poor thing was going to die in this miserable place.

Just as the Elapid demon was about to pounce on the hysterical child, an arrow whizzed through the air and buried itself right in the back of the demon's skull. The snake-headed creature let out a bloodcurdling scream, turning to ash within mere seconds. Magnus let out a sigh of relief, turning towards the savior before gasping.

Alexander Lightwood stood at the entrance to the alleyway, bow in hand and quiver slung across his back. He was dressed in a pair of loose fitting black jeans and a navy blue T-shirt; his hair surprisingly spiked up a bit. Behind him stood himself, dressed in a pair of white skinny jeans and a pink tunic, staring at the scene in bewilderment. In this scene Alec looked to be around twenty three.

"Who are you?" the child on the pavement croaked, his voice scratchy from his screaming.

Alec smiled as he approached the boy and bent down on one knee. He made sure to keep a bit of distance between them in case the boy would get uncomfortable. 

"I'm Alec, and this is my boyfriend, Magnus. And what's your name?" Alec asked in a gentle voice.

The child glanced back and forth between them before replying. "I-I don't have one," he said with tears in his big brown eyes.

Alec's eyes filled with confusion for a moment. "Where are your parents?" 

"I don't have those either," he frowned.

Magnus joined Alec and the child on the floor and outstretched a gentle and hesitant hand towards the child. The boy flinched a little but allowed Magnus's touch. Magnus stroked his cheek in a comforting gesture, which seemed to calm the boy slightly.

"Alec..." he trailed off, shooting Alec a meaningful look.

Alec nodded slowly.

"How...how would you like to come home with us?" Alexander spoke softly.

Aaaaaandd...here comes the dizziness again.

-@-

When Magnus came to, this scene, unlike the others, was much more familiar. It was his loft, which relatively looked pretty much the same. The most significant differences was the color scheme of course and the countless toys lying around.

Magnus, the other Magnus, was sitting on the couch with a small pink bundle in his arms, rocking back and forth gently. Alec was sprawled out across the recliner, completely knocked out. The blue warlock child named Max and the Hispanic boy from the alley, both whom looked older and significantly healthier, were cuddled up next to one another in front of the TV watching some sort of cartoon. It was relatively quiet except for the low volume of the television and other Magnus's humming.

Magnus rose up from where he had woken on the floor and approached the scene.  
Peering over the back of the couch, he saw what was in other Magnus's arms. A small Caucasian baby with curly wisps of blonde hair and big green eyes. The child looked to be around a month or two old. She stared up at other Magnus intensely. Magnus let out a tiny gasp at one of other Magnus's fingers. It was the one finger that Magnus always left bare, his left ring finger. Now, there was a diamond encrusted silver band around it.

Alec began to stir slightly, groaning as he awoke from his slumber. Magnus couldn't help but notice the same exact ring on his left ring finger as well. His eyes locked with other Magnus when he opened them, a content smile gracing his strong, elegant features. Like a child, he reached his hands out and made adorable grabbing motions.

"Lemme see her," he mumbled.

It melted Magnus's heart.

"Do you understand now?" Ragnor's voice rang out in his mind.

Magnus felt like he did, but he wanted some sort of confirmation to his conclusion.

"This is your future. The future you will have if you choose to stay with the nephilim boy."

Magnus frowned. "What would be my future if I don't?" he asked.

"Not a bad one. You'd continue to be like you are now. Free to do as you please, minimum responsibilities, but there is one other thing..."

"Yes?"

"In approximately thirty four years you'd meet a half fae woman with whom you will engage into a lifelong relationship with. No children. No marriage. No heartbreak as a result of mortality. You'd grow to be quite fond of her, but it wouldn't necessarily be love. Just ensured security and companionship. You'd be quite happy. But the choice is yours my friend. As soon as you make it, your memories of this vision and conversation will be wiped, but deep down you'll still know your choice." 

Magnus pursed his lips as he looked back towards the display before him. Alec was now holding the child, cooing at her softly. Other Magnus had joined the two boys on the carpet, his arms wrapped snuggly around them as they watched cartoons. Alec didn't look suppressed and uptight anymore. He looked so inexplicably open and happy. Like nothing else in the world mattered except this little family of his. There was a joy in other Magnus's eyes that he'd never seen himself have before. It was mind boggling. 

He had a choice to make.

He could end things with Alec now, and meet the fae woman years down the road. He could have something he'd never experienced before. Security. Lifelong companionship. No heartache. Or he could choose to stay with Alec and experience other things he'd never experienced. Marriage, parenthood, unconditional love. He could have all of that for the next eighty something years and then watch it be torn away as Alec takes his last dying breath.

It was hardly a choice at all.

-@-

Magnus, now back in present time and standing on his pearl white balcony, stared at his phone. The phone he was going to use earlier to call Alexander so they could meet up and end their relationship. 

He tossed the phone over the railing and watched as it fell through the sky.


End file.
